First, let me start by saying that there’s no reason to fret about how “healthy” your Thanksgiving meal is. As a dietitian, I’m constantly reassuring my clients that one meal isn’t going to make or break their health, and that it’s totally OK to eat the foods you love on Thanksgiving without guilt. Sure, you can sub mashed potatoes for cauliflower if you want to. But you can also eat regular spuds if that’s what you love.

Luckily, there are so many healthy Thanksgiving sides out there that don’t require a ton of tweaking and substituting, and that taste great while also being packed with nutrients. If you’re looking to add some new dishes to your Thanksgiving menu, here are some creative ideas to try. Whether you’re looking for a fresh salad or a hearty potato dish, there’s something here for everyone.

Start with recipe developer Martha Tinkler’s Sweet and Spicy Air Fryer Carrots. Cooked carrots are given a major upgrade with this quick air fryer recipe. Cayenne pepper, black pepper and chili powder give these carrots a little heat, while brown sugar and butter mix to create a sweet caramel flavor. In 10 minutes, you’ll have an impressive side that would have taken 45 minutes in the oven! Because of the convection cooking, your air fryer will also give the carrots an all-over crisp with just a little bit of fat.

This stunning dish is layered with a creamy yogurt sauce, tender roasted beets and a crunchy corn-peanut gremolata. It can be made up to three days ahead so it’s ready to go at the last minute – no stress involved.

Made with a combination of sweet potatoes and carrots, this fiber- and nutrient-rich dish gets its flavor not from marshmallows, but from a little bit of brown sugar mixed with ginger, orange zest, cinnamon and pecans.

Get crispy, blistered green beans with very little oil, thanks to your air fryer! We added a simple gremolata topping of fragrant lemon zest, chopped parsley and garlic that’s easy to make while the vegetables are cooking. It’s not quite a classic green bean casserole, but we’re willing to bet some people will like it even better.

Callaloo is so popular in Jamaica that this leafy green is often referred to as Jamaican spinach. Although it looks something like spinach, it has a sturdier texture that’s akin to collard greens. Believed to have traveled to the Caribbean from West Africa, callaloo is cooked in many ways throughout the islands, including in ways similar to Southern braised collards. In Jamaica, it’s often sautéed, particularly with bell peppers and other vegetables for a bit of sweetness. Herbs and spice are added for robust flavor that’s bound to please even those who aren’t greens fans. Fresh callaloo can sometimes be difficult to find so we use frozen leaves in this recipe. No matter which type you’re able to find, callaloo contains all kinds of important vitamins and minerals, like vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium and potassium.

Traditional creamed corn gets its luscious richness not from cream or milk, but from the milky juice of the corn kernels and cob. Here, frozen corn steps in during the off-season and holiday months. It’s simmered until tender, partially pureed and then thickened with a slurry of flour and water. You'll be surprised at the velvety soft texture and we'll be surprised if this isn't your new go-to creamed corn recipe.

Tossed in a sweet, thick chile-laced kung pao-inspired sauce, these crispy, spicy brussels sprouts are sure to liven up any Thanksgiving, holiday or even weeknight meal. A popular preparation in Chinese American restaurants, kung pao is typically a stir-fry, but here we roast the sprouts to make them as crispy as possible. A dose of Sichuan pepper in the sauce is a nod to the dish’s origins in Sichuan, China, and we use dried whole Thai chiles in this recipe for the spicy punch kung pao is known for. Each serving will give you six grams of fiber, which will help with digestion after the big meal.

This creamy, garlicky mash is made from cauliflower instead of potatoes. We use garlic and thyme for depth, and nonfat Greek yogurt and a little Parmesan for dairy richness and tang.

Our favorite fall vegetable takes the place of traditional apples in this gorgeous tarte tatin that has savory accents of fresh herbs and Parmesan. As a bonus, it’s also rich in fiber and delivers plenty of vitamin C.

Peak-season butternut squash is so packed with fall flavor that the only other ingredients you need to add are oil, salt and pepper. How’s that for an easy Thanksgiving dish?

This sharp and tangy mashed potato dish is delicious and a breeze to make. There are various iterations of it: bhorta (meaning mashed) in Bengal, bharta in Northern India and chokha in Bihar. In Bengal, raw mustard oil is added to give a magical zing to the side dish, which is often served at room temperature. These scrumptious and slightly pungent mashed potatoes will add a buzz to your Thanksgiving meal. The dish is also lower in fat than traditional mashed potatoes and doesn’t contain any dairy, so it can be a great choice if the rest of your meal is super rich.

40 minutes in the oven is all it takes to turn a pile of Brussels sprouts into a savory, salty, slightly bitter side dish.

This is not quite a slaw and not a traditional salad; it’s plain delicious! A tangy BBQ sauce dressing is the perfect choice to complement the collards, crispy bacon, tart green tomatoes and sweet carrots. Plus, it’ll add a ton of color to your Thanksgiving table.

Fresh beets are so packed with flavor that you barely need to add anything to turn them into a delicious roasted side dish. A cup-sized serving will also give you over a third of your daily folate needs, and about 10 percent of your potassium and magnesium.

The natural sugars from butternut squash caramelize alongside maple syrup on the surface to add a powerful sweet flavor.

Somewhere between oven-roasted potatoes and crispy hash, these little creamer potatoes are boiled in water with baking soda before being smashed. The alkaline in the baking soda helps the skins crisp up quickly. Smashing increases their surface area and contact with the pan. The result is the crunchiest-ever crust.

There’s no question that mushrooms make a great side dish. What’s even better is that most mushrooms are treated with UV light before being packaged, which means they contain vitamin D. That’s great news because the vitamin is harder for most of us to get in fall and winter months (since your skin produces it when it comes into contact with the sun).

This is not your typical cheesy broccoli. We char broccoli spears for smoky flavor, then drizzle them with a creamy, dairy-free cashew sauce, then top it all off with a colorful toasted pepita and tomato salsa. Inspired by nachos, it’s a healthy, fun and festive side dish that’s sure to impress guests.

There’s an impressive seven grams of fiber per serving thanks to wide variety of veggies in this dish: onion, fennel, garlic, Swiss chard, collards and kale.

In addition to being a tasty Thanksgiving staple, sweet potatoes contain magnesium, B vitamins and other important nutrients to keep you feeling your best.

Calabacitas literally translates to “little squash,” and a la Mexicana means it incorporates the colors of the Mexican flag — white, red and green — from onions, tomatoes and chiles. This vegetarian dish can be served as a side dish for Thanksgiving, then as a taco filling for leftovers the following day.

This cooked green bean salad is low in calories and high in fiber, but still has plenty of flavor thanks to a mustard-y dressing and tons of fresh herbs.

This dairy-free mash owes its luxurious texture to the natural creaminess of Yukon gold potatoes and a touch of olive oil. At first glance four cloves of garlic may seem like a lot, but the garlic mellows as it steams with the potatoes so when they are mashed together you get just the right garlic infusion.

Just because corn on the cob is a staple at summer barbecues, doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve a spot on your Thanksgiving table. The baked cobs are easy to eat and don’t contain any additional ingredients.

These blanched string beans taste super fresh thanks to a coating of butter, olive oil and sauteed shallots.

One of our favorite cauliflower recipes comes together in less than 30 minutes, and it’s a super-versatile dish that works perfectly as a Thanksgiving side. Plus, it’s super easy to heat up for leftovers later. As a naturally low-calorie, high-fiber food, roasted cauliflower will help keep things moving through your digestive system even when you’re laying on the couch watching football after dinner.

Butternut squash can be daunting because of its thick shell, but with a little patience, you can have it prepped, cooked and on the table as a tasty side dish in 20 minutes. If you have aged balsamic vinegar, add a very small drizzle over the top for a touch of rich, sweet flavor.

If you’d rather skip the canned soup in your green bean casserole, try this tomato-based version instead. Instead of crispy onions, it gets its crunch from a cheesy panko breadcrumb topping.

If your table is in need of simplicity, these carrots are it. A little bit of honey and some optional cayenne pepper add some sweet spiciness to the dish without adding a ton of richness or complexity.

Our classic cranberry sauce has the ideal texture of tart whole berries suspended in a sweet jammy sauce; we added citrus peel for a little extra brightness. Don’t be tempted to skip the salt and pepper at the end. It may seem a bit odd, but salt brings out the fruitiness of the berries while pepper gives the sauce a warm and spicy finish. And sure, while there’s plenty of added sugar in the sauce, the cranberries also bring fiber and antioxidants.

Balsamic vinegar and a bit of diced pancetta add an extra layer of flavor to these simple roasted Brussels sprouts.

This vegetable-forward dish is heavy on the cumin, which could be a great balance for all of the creamy, salty dishes that tend to dominate Thanksgiving.

With no added sugar, these carrots lean savory thanks to a little bit of fresh dill.